To celebrate the University’s 18th anniversary, a Distinguished Hospitality Executive Forum was hosted by FHTM on May 4, 2018. Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), was again invited to MUST to give a talk titled “The Creative City of Gastronomy—Macao and the Future Opportunity” for students of Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management (FHTM) at Macau University of Science and Technology. Professor Pang Chuan, Vice President and Dean of FHTM gave welcoming speech before the talk. Ms. Doris Leong, Head of Training and Quality Management Department of MGTO, Ms. Amy Chu, Vice Dean of FHTM, together with near 200 professors and students of FHTM attended the forum.
Director Senna Fernandes first introduced the background, structure, categories, and members of UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) and also explained the initial thoughts for Macau to obtain the designation of Creative City of Gastronomy. She showcased the whole application process from visiting the Ministry of Education of China in Beijing, to organizing various gastronomy forums, preparing and submitting relevant application materials, to successfully becoming a member of UCCN in the field of gastronomy on Oct 31, 2017. A series of promoting activities and an extensive four-year development plan were drafted by MGTO, which includes promoting local culture, Macanese cuisine, education and inheritance, and various worldwide creative campaigns were presented. MGTO is also seeking cross-industry collaboration such as combining gastronomy and music, or promoting Macanese cuisine with hand crafts, films and designs. Enhancing local residents’ awareness of Macanese food culture and supporting cultivation of talents for the local catering industry are also part of the plan.
At the end of the forum, students asked questions and expressed keen concern about the preservation of traditional food culture, the balance between development and conservation, and the government's policies for supporting old stores and restaurants. Teachers and students benefited greatly from the forum as they were able to understand the local food culture, government policies, opportunities and challenges from different perspectives. This seminar was sponsored by Macao Foundation.
